Page 18 of When You Had Me Adapting

Gray: Are we sure we want Tanner to cook? Does he know how? LOL!

Wren: Like THE Tanner, Lacey?

Gray: Wait, you know about Tanner? Was I seriously the last one to know they slept together?

Wren: That’s what happens when you work all the time.

Gray:

Poppy: Apparently he’s the best cook out of all the guys.

Chloe: I can do Sunday. Let me know what I can bring.

The summer sun beats down on my body causing a drip of sweat to run down the center of my cleavage. I dip my hand into the cool pool water and splash it onto my skin.

Man, this summer is going to be really fucking hot.

“Come in the pool and hang out with me,” I say. I sit up on the unicorn shaped float I’m lying on and take off my black, bug-eye sunglasses to look over at my best friend. “Tell Logan you’ll text him later. It’s Saturday and I barely see you anymore. We have the apartment pool all to ourselves. Who knows when this will happen again!”

Poppy stands and walks over to the edge. She sits so her feet hang in the water. Her phone is still in her hand.

“So,” she winces, “Tanner invited Jace to the dinner thing tomorrow at Logan’s.”

“Of course he did.” I pull my sunglasses back over my eyes and fall back onto the float. “What did I do to deserve this? Who in the universe must you fuck so your ex doesn’t come waltzing back into your life claiming to be best friends with your best friend’s boyfriend and the last guy you slept with?”

Poppy laughs. “It’s definitely a mess.”

“It’s more than a mess. I mean is this punishment for something I did? Did we die? Is this hell?”

“Stop it, Lacey.” She kicks her feet and cold water splashes against my skin.

“I knew this would happen. I just wanted it to be the girls. I’ve waited so long for you to be out of your study hole and finally get to hang out with me, Gray, Wren, and Chloe. Now it’s turning into a whole thing.”

“I’m sorry. That was my bad. I got excited and brought the guys into it without thinking.”

“No, that’s not what I meant. You asked and I agreed. I wish he wasn’t their friend.”

“Me too. It would make things easier,” she says. I sit back up and put my feet back in the water.

“I’d be totally cool with the girls from work and Logan’s friends turning into some fun little found family, but selfishly I don’t want Jace to be a part of it.”

Her eyes find mine and she clears her throat. “Hewasour found family once.”

“Please, don’t go there,” I say. “He hurt me so badly. I just wanted him to love me and while D.C. was the final straw, he’d been pulling away for months. He promised long distance would work and then he shattered his promise and my heart. That’s not how you treat people you claim to love.”

“I know babe.”

“I don’t understand why this is so hard for me. It’s been ten years. He shouldn’t affect me the way he does. I shouldn’t care.”

“I get it. Beau was absolutely awful to me and I let his words control my life for years. You were in love with him and he broke your heart. You have a right to feel any way you’re feeling, but I think you are going to have to deal with those feelings sooner rather than later.”

I close my eyes and breathe in the warm summer air. I know she’s right, but it doesn’t feel fair.

“You’re not even a little bit interested in talking to him and hearing what he has to say?” she asks.

“Are you?”

“I mean, well, I don’t know. I’ve known him since I was seven and then all of a sudden he was gone. And, babe, I know what he did was awful, but it was ten years ago. Maybe he’s changed.”

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